Courtesy Photo | J. Randall Robinson, acting assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy...... read more read more
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Fort McCoy was presented with the 2017 Secretary of the Army Water Conservation Award on Aug. 17 during a ceremony at the 2017 Energy Exchange training and trade show in Tampa, Fla.
Col. David J. Pinter Sr., Fort McCoy garrison commander, and Mike Miller, Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works (DPW) Water and Wastewater Branch chief, received the award for the installation at the ceremony from J. Randall Robinson, acting assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and the Environment, and Carla K. Coulson, director of Installation Services with the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management.
“This award recognizes the hard work of the Water and Wastewater Branch, DPW, and the support we receive from the entire Fort McCoy team,” said Director Liane Haun with the Directorate of Public Works. “We appreciate the support the installation staff provides to help us be successful every day.”
The award recognizes achievements in water conservation by Army organizations during fiscal year 2016 by DPW’s Water and Wastewater Branch. Water-conservation standards that were used for the award included standards that were established in presidential Executive Order 13693, Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade, which was signed March 25, 2015, by President Barack Obama.
The portion of the executive order that cites water conservation stated that all federal agencies shall, beginning in fiscal year 2016, improve agency water-use efficiency and management, including stormwater management, by “reducing agency potable water consumption intensity measured in gallons per gross square foot by 36 percent by fiscal year 2025 through reductions of 2 percent annually through fiscal year 2025 relative to a baseline of the agency’s water consumption in fiscal year 2007.”
The order also requires the installation of water meters and collecting and utilizing building and facility water-balance data to improve water conservation and management.
According to the award submission, Fort McCoy met or exceeded the water-use efficiency goals set forth by the executive order. The installation reduced potable-water consumption intensity measured in gallons per gross square foot from the 2007 baseline of 29.42 to 13.12 for a 55 percent total reduction. “This exceeds the 36 percent total reduction for fiscal year 2025 by 19 percent, a decade ahead of schedule.”
Another water-conservation achievement by Fort McCoy included limiting landscape irrigation times to early mornings instead of hot afternoons when evaporation rates are at their highest. This led to a 7.6 million gallon cutback in industrial, landscaping, and agricultural water consumption at the installation.
Fort McCoy also revised its water-conservation plan for fiscal year 2016 that included the installation of green infrastructure features to reduce stormwater runoff and building nine permitted stormwater retention ponds.
According to the submission, Fort McCoy’s water consumption decreased from 124 million gallons in fiscal year 2015 to 91 million gallons in fiscal year 2016 for a 33 million gallon, or 27 percent, reduction.
A project that has helped with water conservation included replacing some failing 1940s-era cast-iron water mains around post with new PVC water mains. These water mains have been changed out at an average rate of 11 percent per year since fiscal year 2010 for a total replacement of 77 percent of all water mains.
“This resulted in an estimated 12.3 million gallon water-use reduction from distribution system leaks,” Miller said. “Replacing the water mains really helped with Fort McCoy’s water conservation. We have worked and continue to work with our partners across the installation to improve the infrastructure for the installation water distribution system.”
Fort McCoy’s DPW and Directorate of Emergency Services Fire Department also partnered to help with water conservation. The two organizations worked together to develop a schedule that combined the annual fire-hydrant flow/pressure tests with the annual water distribution system flushing. This resulted in an estimated 3.8 million gallon reduction while incurring zero costs, according the award submission.
The installation also retrofitted most of the post’s plumbing fixtures, including toilets, urinals, and faucets, with standard-efficiency fixtures in repair projects and incorporated high-efficiency plumbing fixtures into all new construction contracts that resulted in an estimated 0.4 million gallon water reduction.
Those members of the Water and Wastewater Branch who were recognized in the award included Miller and utility systems operators Russell Sanborn, Emmet Peterson, Robert Thompson, and Brad Noth.
“I work with dedicated professionals who work hard to make sure Fort McCoy has safe water for all to use every day,” Miller said. “This is a great team.”
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at www.mccoy.army.mil, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”
| Date Taken: | 09.05.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 09.05.2017 16:54 |
| Story ID: | 247167 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WI, US |
| Web Views: | 136 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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